December 12, 2011

NEW KNOXVILLE â€” For most of the first half the New Knoxville Rangers basketball team controlled the action against the Waynesfield-Goshen Tigers Friday night as they doubled the score on the Tigers 28-13 at halftime.

In the second half the Tigers caught fire and pulled within 10 at the end of the third. They closed the gap to two points a couple times in the fourth quarter, but the Rangers hit a few free throws down the stretch to defeat the Tigers 50-44 at the Barn in New Knoxville.

December 12, 2011

Dressed in their black military outfits and wearing garrison caps, nine members of the Wapakoneta Veterans of Foreign Wars post stand waiting at attention along the sidewalk to the home one returning Iraqi veteran grew up.
His siblings and friends crowd the porch at 213 E. Benton St. as his mother stands on the bottom step fidgeting first with her hands cupping her face and then at her side â€” all watching as U.S. Army Private 1st Class Than Bowersock walks down the sidewalk. He spent the last year in Iraq.

December 12, 2011

Otis F. Slone, 72, of Wapakoneta, formerly of Michigan, died at 9:23 p.m. Friday at Kindred Hospital in Lima.
He was born Jan. 26, 1939, in Magoffin, Ky., the son of Irene (Fletchers) and Sam Saylor. He married Sylvia Collins, who preceded him in death.
Surviving are a son, Mark D. Slone, of Michigan; and two daughters, Vernice Williams, of Wapakoneta, and Joannie Slone, of Michigan.
Services are at 2 p.m. Monday at Bayliff & Son Funeral Home in Cridersville. Burial will follow at Shawnee Cemetery.
Contributions can be made to the family.
Condolences may be sent to BayliffAndSon.com.

December 12, 2011

Christeen C. Barry, 93, of Wapakoneta, died Saturday night, Dec. 10, 2011, at her sonâ€™s home.
She was born Sept. 24, 1918, in Rossiter, Pa., the daughter of Marge (Thomas) and Earl Chapman. On Feb. 4, 1940, she married William Paul Barry, who died Oct. 25, 1996.
Surviving is a son, William E. Barry, of Wapakoneta, and a daughter, Martha Jo Lee, of Beavercreek.
Services are at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Bayliff & Son Funeral Home in Cridersville. Burial will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery in Lima.
Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home..

December 12, 2011

As the bitter cold December wind whipped through Greenlawn Cemetery, a group of people held a moment of silence for local soldiers killed in action.
â€śMay we continue to honor our veterans and their sacrifices for years to come,â€ť said Ralph Reynolds, a member of the local veterans organization Freedomâ€™s Colors, as he led the group gathered to lay the wreaths in remembrance of seven Wapakoneta soldiers killed in action.
â€śThis is one way of paying respect and saying thank you,â€ť he said as each wreath was laid.

December 12, 2011

Ryan Dean Berg, 7 months, of New Bremen, passed away peacefully at 3:32 p.m. Friday, Dec. 9, 2011 at Cincinnati Childrenâ€™s Hospital surrounded by his family.
He was born on May 11, 2011, at the Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, the son of Stephanie Gillingham and Jamie Berg, who survive him in New Bremen.
Also surviving at home is his brother, Jay Michael Gillingham.
Services are at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the First Baptist Church in Sidney, the Rev. George Gnade officiating.
Friends may call from 10 to 11 a.m. Tuesday at the church.

December 12, 2011

Lola Jean â€śJeanieâ€ť Miller, 80, of Wapakoneta, died at 4 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 11, 2011, at her residence.
She was born Sept. 16, 1931, in Auglaize County, the daughter of Erma (Miller) and Fred Nuss, who preceded her in death. On Sept. 12, 1948, she married Robert L. â€śBobâ€ť Miller, and he died Oct. 12, 2002.

December 12, 2011

For one six-year-old at the Wapakoneta Elementary School, settling into the school routine was scary at first. However the kindergarten student of Abby Truesdale is settling into the dayâ€™s routine just fine, the young girl says.
â€śIt was really hard getting used to it,â€ť Avery Hudt said. â€śIt took a while getting used to it.â€ť
However, she said she may have had a little bit of an advantage getting used to school. The daughter of Karen and Josh Hudt said her mother works as a first grade teacher at Wapakoneta Elementary School and her grandmother works in the office.